Under The Radar: The Search For A Good Indian Place

Under The Radar: The Search For A Good Indian Place
How new can an old reliable be? (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)
How new can an old reliable be? (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)

Everyone has an under-the-radar favorite restaurant. It’s usually a nondescript storefront with not too many seats and a steady delivery business, right?

Kitchen Grill Indian Restaurant (914a Fulton Street between Washington Avenue and St. James Place) looks the part, but would it be good enough to emerge as a favorite? I brought a dinner companion who ventured all the way from Brooklyn Heights. Such is the allure of good Indian food.

We were warmly greeted by our waiter, who provided excellent service over the course of our meal. He explained that Kitchen Grill has only been in business for nine months and that they serve primarily northern Indian food.

My companion and I both opted the dinner special, which includes an appetizer and a choice of bread. Prices vary depending on whether you choose a vegetarian option ($14.95) or a non-vegetarian option ($16.95). Our waiter said that the chicken tikka masala and lamb rogan josh were among the most popular and best items, and so we ordered accordingly.

Gadzooks! That soup was terrific. (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)
Gadzooks! That soup was terrific. (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)

I started with the mulligatawny soup ($3.95), which is a puree of tomato and lentils. This creamy soup was fantastic. It had just a bit of heat and, with just a squeeze of lemon, it bordered on perfect. I will be back for more of it. My dining companion wasn’t quite as enthused, but she thought well of it.

The alu papri. (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)
The alu papri. (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)

My dining companion ordered the alu papri ($4.95), which the menu described as “wheat crisps, chickpeas, & potatoes served with yogurt, mint, and tamarind sauce.” It’s served cold, and this was not my favorite dish. I found it too sweet and quite heavy, while my dining companion liked it better than I. She complimented its “starchy fun.”

The lamb rogan josh will lure you back. (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)
The lamb rogan josh will lure you back. (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)

The lamb rogan josh ($12.95) was very good. This dish is comprised of lamb bathed in a sauce of aniseed and paprika. The lamb was exceptionally tender, and the sauce was very smooth and rich. It paired well with the complimentary basmati rice. My dining companion agreed, and said it was better than her go-to Indian place.

The controversial chicken tikka masala (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)
The controversial chicken tikka masala (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)

The chicken tikka masala ($13.95) was a point of difference between my dining partner and I. She thought it was very good and described it as meaty, filling, and well-sauced. I found the sauce to be too sweet and I was underwhelmed by the chicken, which stood in stark contrast to the lamb rogan josh.

Our main courses were joined by naan ($2.95), which deserves special mention. I ordered the garlic naan ($3.95) and this slightly sweet bread was absolutely fantastic.  It was puffy, crispy, and perfectly suited to sop up my plate.

Rice pudding to dream on (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)
Rice pudding to dream on (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)

For dessert, we were treated to paiesh ($2.95), a rice pudding which I can only praise effusively. Sweet, light, refreshing, and with a wonderful mouth-feel, this was genuinely excellent.

Kitchen Grill Indian Restaurant lived up to my hunch that it would be better than its exterior would indicate. While the menu proved to be a bit hit-or-miss, the hits were absolute home runs that will bring both of us back in search of more. That’s the kind of place stays on your radar.

Kitchen Grill Indian Restaurant
Address: 914a Fulton Street between Washington Avenue and St. James Place
Phone: (718) 789-7800
Try: The mulligatawny soup and garlic naan are absolute musts.
Avoid: Nothing, but I didn’t care for the alu papri.
Kids: They’ll love the paiesh.